Business Degree Program Offered in Jefferson City

William Woods University is offering Jefferson City area residents the opportunity to pursue a bachelor of science in management (BSM) degree without quitting work.

The program will begin with an orientation at 6 p.m. Sept. 18 in the Jefferson City Campus, 919 Wildwood Dr., Jefferson City.

Prospective students are encouraged to contact the university’s Graduate & Adult Studies program prior to then, but walk-ins will be accepted. Call 1-800-995-3199 or contact WWU by e-mail at AdultEd@WilliamWoods.edu.

The BSM is designed for the working professional interested in completing the baccalaureate degree with an emphasis in management. The curriculum has been designed to reflect the appropriate mix of business theory with real world practice.

Admission into the program requires the completion of 50-60 semester credit hours and at least two years of work experience.

Wes Mullins of Ellsinore, Mo., completed his BSM in Poplar Bluff.

“In my opinion, one of the greatest strengths of the program was the diversity of the instructors our cohort had. Most were working professionals themselves, which allowed them to share real world experiences with us,” he said.

He added, “When I made the decision to get my BS I weighed all the options that were available to me. Without a doubt, the G&AS program was the best fit. I don’t think there is a better program for the working adult. I would like to thank William Woods for offering such a program, it has helped me tremendously.”

Employing a model of accelerated learning developed especially for the convenience of the working adult, these educational programs are structured so that a degree can be completed in as few as 18 months.

William Woods offers degree programs that utilize a cohort model, emphasizing learning through student-directed study groups of three to five students.

“Cohort” describes a group of people who collaborate to reach a common goal. WWU’s program utilizes the diversity of the individual members to broaden the learning experience of the class as a whole as they work together. The school recognizes that learning can and does take place outside of the classroom and that theoretical knowledge is only useful if applied to real-life on-the-job situations.

Mullins had high praise for the study group concept.

“This is a fine example of how much a team can accomplish, as compared to what I might have gotten done alone. The support, competition and accountability that our study group provided made a huge difference in the learning process,” he said.

Classes meet once a week in the evening for four hours. Study groups can meet once more to prepare projects and assignments before the upcoming week.

“With the teamwork approach of using study groups and projects within the
cohort model, students can draw on a greater pool of ideas, and they have the opportunity
to learn quickly that the effectiveness of one person can be greatly enhanced by utilizing the other members of the group,” said Sherry McCarthy, vice president and academic dean.

Because of the nature of programming—focusing effort on one course at a time—90 percent of all students finish their program successfully. Each course normally runs five to 10 weeks in length.

“William Woods University is a leader when it comes to designing quality programs for nontraditional adult students. Everything we do is specifically designed to help adults succeed in reaching their goals as efficiently as possible,” said McCarthy.

William Woods offers several other Graduate & Adult Studies programs, including the ACCESS program of general education, an associate of arts degree in liberal studies, a BSM with human resources emphasis, a B.S. in paralegal studies and a new bachelor of social work degree (BSW).

Graduate programs include a master of business administration (MBA) and MBAs with accounting, agribusiness, health management or human resources emphasis, as well as a master of education (M.Ed.) in administration, curriculum/instruction or athletics/activities administration and a specialist of education (EDS) in school administration and in curriculum leadership.

William Woods can tailor any of its programs for a particular business or community. More information is available on the William Woods website at TheWoods.edu/evening.

Author:Mary Ann Beahon

Mary Ann Beahon brings more than 45 years of public relations experience to the job, primarily in higher education. She served as the director of University Relations for 18 years before entering semi-retirement in August 2016.
View all posts by Mary Ann Beahon

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